


Light In The Darkness

by RedShirtWriter34567



Category: Gallowglass (TV 1993), Takin' Over the Asylum
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Boyfriends, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Nightmares, Pet Names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 07:27:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24347242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567
Summary: Joe hasn't heard from Campbell in awhile.
Relationships: Campbell Bain/Joe (Gallowglass)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 38





	Light In The Darkness

Joe opened his mail box and combed through the contents-bills, his paycheck from work, a coupon book, but nothing from Campbell. Joe sighed and flipped the mailbox closed. He hadn't received a letter from Campbell in four weeks, hadn't had a single phone call from him either. Joe had written a few letters, but had received no response. Same with the phone calls. Sometimes a receptionist answered and told him that Campbell couldn't come to the phone, other times nobody answered at all. Joe had been meaning to drive over to the asylum, but work had been so busy lately he hadn't been able to find the time.

'The last time he went this long without contacting me, he was sick with the flu,' Joe thought as he walked up his porch steps into the house. 'Hopefully that's not the case this time.'

He entered his house and tossed the mail onto the island in the kitchen. Even though Joe was used to living alone, sometimes the silence in the house could be unnerving. He'd only had Campbell over a handful of times, when the asylum gave him permission. He usually stayed for a couple hours and had even slept over a few times, but once Joe brought him back to the asylum, he was always reluctant to go back home. It seemed cold and empty without Campbell's warm, bubbly presence. On his last visit, however, he had gifted Joe something that made his home feel less empty. On the coffee table in the living room was a framed picture of Campbell. He was sitting in the radio station at the asylum, wearing jeans and his colorful hoodie, his honey-colored hair tousled boyishly, his brown eyes shining as he smiled at the camera.

'He's so beautiful,' Joe thought, staring at the picture as he sat down on the couch. He picked it up, stroking the edge of the glossy frame with his thumb. 'I wonder what he's doing right now.'

Joe's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the loud ringing of the phone. He quickly set the picture down and bolted toward the kitchen, grabbing the phone off the receiver. He recognized the asylum's number and eagerly brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" he asked, expecting Campbell's voice.

"Joe?" asked the voice of Fergus MacKinnon. "It's Fergus."

"Hi," Joe replied, deflating a little. 

"I know you were expecting Campbell, but he's the reason I'm calling," Fergus explained, sounding concerned. 

"What's wrong?" Joe asked worriedly. "Is he sick again?"

"Not exactly," Fergus answered. "He's just hit another one of his....moods, I guess."

"Moods?" Joe repeated. "What do you mean?"

He heard Fergus sigh deeply. "He has episodes like these from time to time. Most days he's loud and he's happy. Hyper, even. But then he hits these downswings. He becomes reclusive, depressed. He won't leave his room or eat or anything. He just sleeps or stays in bed, staring into space."

Joe swallowed, his mouth and throat suddenly dry. "He hasn't tried to....hurt himself has he?"

"No, thankfully," Fergus replied. "The staff have been keeping a close eye on him, but I was hoping that maybe you could break through to him. You might be able to snap him out of it. How soon can you get here?"

"As soon as you hang up," Joe answered.

Fergus chuckled and hung up. Joe sprung into action, throwing on his jacket and grabbing his keys off the hook as he shot out the door toward his car. He drove to the asylum, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. It was taking all of his willpower not to break the speed limit.

Joe arrived at the asylum in record time, and parked in the closest space near the entrance. He bolted into the building, sliding to a stop at the reception desk. 

"Where's Campbell?" he asked the woman sitting there. She didn't look familiar and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Upstairs in his room," she told Joe.

He took off from the reception area and went upstairs, taking them two at a time until he reached the floor where Campbell's room was. Rubbing at his chest, his lungs burning for breath, Joe stopped outside his boyfriend's room. Fergus was sitting in a chair outside the closed door, looking pensive. The blinds on the room's window were shut and the lights were off. Joe swallowed and approached. Fergus looked up as he did, relief filling his eyes.

"Joe, you're here," he breathed. "Thank goodness."

"I got here as fast as I could," Joe said. He looked toward the room nervously. "Is he okay in there?"

"I think so," Fergus said. "We took out anything he could use to hurt himself, but he's been quiet. I'm worried."

"Alright," Joe said. "I'm going in there."

He put his hand on the door and found it unlocked. He entered the room and shut the door carefully behind him. Campbell's room looked so different in the pitch darkness. His guitar was missing, as were his headphones, the various pens and pencils he usually had on his desk. Joe approached the bed, where a lump was huddled under some blankets, breathing heavily. 

"Campbell?" Joe asked tentatively.

The lump shifted a little, the blankets being lowered. Joe felt his heart crumble as he looked upon Campbell's face. His brown eyes were red and puffy from crying, his angel hair messy and tangled. He wore jeans and the hoodie Joe had given him, but it hung off his torso more than usual. Had he not been eating? He blinked blearily in the dark, staring at Joe with confusion and surprise.

"Joe?" he asked, his voice raspy and quiet. "Is that really you?"

"It's really me, love," Joe promised, sitting down at the end of the bed. "I'm here."

Campbell sat up in bed, reaching out and touching Joe's face with reverence, his eyes welling up again. He let out a low sob and curled around Joe, crying into his neck. Joe pulled Campbell into his lap, stroking his hair and rubbing his back through the sweater. He felt thin as a scarecrow, but his skin was warm through his clothes. 

"Shh, love, it's alright," Joe murmured in his boyfriend's ear. "I'm right here, Campbell. I'll always be here for you. I love you."

Campbell held Joe tightly, like he afraid he would disappear if he loosened his grip even for a second. They held each other for a long time in the darkness, until Campbell's sob died down and he pulled away, wiping his nose and eyes with his sweater sleeve, but remained in Joe's lap, craving the warmth and contact. Joe reached up and tucked some of Campbell's hair behind his ear, then stroked his cheek, wiping away the lingering tears.

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

"I-I think so," Campbell replied, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "Sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, love," Joe promised. 

Campbell licked his lips and leaned over toward the bedside table, switching on the lamp. His face was flushed from crying and he sniffled a little more as he climbed off Joe's lap and sat cross-legged on the bed. Joe copied him and reached out, intertwining the fingers of their right hands. 

"When did you get here?" Campbell asked.

"Fergus called me," Joe explained, rubbing his boyfriend's knuckles with his thumb. "He said that you had hit a bit of a downswing and that he was worried about you. He thought I could come and help snap you out of it." He paused for a minute, biting his bottom lip. "But, to be honest, because I hadn't heard from you in awhile, I was about to drive over myself anyway. I was worried that you were sick again."

Campbell blushed and ran his free hand through his hair. "I-I didn't mean to leave in the dark like that. It''s just that.....a few weeks ago I had a bad dream that you broke up with me." His voice cracked. "You said that you wanted a real relationship, and that you were tired of dating someone crazy."

Joe's heart broke all over again. He brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed each of Campbell's knuckles.

"I'll never do that to you, Campbell, ever," he promised between kisses. "I love you so much, my angel, my songbird."

Happy tears flashed in Campbell's eyes, and he kissed Joe on the lips, settling into his lap again. Joe kissed him back with passion and fervor.

"I love you, Joe," Campbell whispered against their lips. "You are my muse."

"I love you too, Campbell," Joe whispered back. "My pretty angel."


End file.
